Saturday, May 29, 2010

Scott McCloud shows that with Web Comics, it's more than just a distribution hub

I've been spending a lot of time looking at Web comics lately, researching options for getting my stories out there. While a lot of people are using the Web as a more affordable/accessible means of distribution, and that's obviously a very legitimate and attractive use, Scott McCloud (http://scottmccloud.com/) has really explored the interactive, multidimensional, and clickable aspects of Web tech.

I'm not new to the "Scott McCloud experience," the comics guru and visionary (also author of Making Comics) is someone I've known about for a while. But I'm now examining, or I guess I should say re-examining his work as a hopeful comics creator myself. If you want to make comics and you haven't check out his stuff before: Go. Study it.

Over at his blog, McCloud continues the conversation he's been having with the medium and its makers for many years. And he's not just a talking head. McCloud has a fine body of work you should check out. He's experimented with a variety of formats--telling many of his stories in a way that could only be done on-screen.

Check out his story The Right Number, link below. It's a story about obsession, done in an awesome zooming panel format in mostly mono-color blue. It's a powerful story, made even more poignant by the tension and urgency of the zooms. In the hands of a lesser storyteller, the zooms could become gimicky, but here, they totally work. The Right Number is a good example of how making your comics on the screen can push the storytelling boundaries. And how the Web can be more than just a distribution hub.

The Right Number by Scott McCloud
http://www.scottmccloud.com/1-webcomics/trn-intro/index.html

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Brevoort's Twitter-Short Story Advice

Marvel supreme editor Tom Brevoort tweeted two items the other day that I thought we spot on. Writers take note. These are definitely deadly ways to wreck your otherwise good story idea.

Things I'm sick of in comics #1: stories in which all of the heroes and villains meet before they met as heroes and villains. Oh, the irony!

Things I'm sick of in comics #2: stories that open by throwing me into a crazy action sequence only to then flash back to how we got there.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

My advice: dive in/Agent has good advice

My advice: if you have a script you think is great, start contacting artists. Dive in. You're never going to make comics until you start working with pencillers, inkers, colorists, letterers, etc. It takes a team to bring a book to life. Just sitting around thinking about making comics will get you nowhere. (I know, I've done that.) Check out Digital Webbing, Pencil Jack, etc. Go through people's portfolios. Find somebody's art that you like and contact them. Ask them if they'd like to work with you. All they can do is say no. Rejection is half the battle. Sure, you're not going to make comics until someone says yes, but you need to get out there and start networking.

Artists' agent David Macho Gómez makes some interesting points about working in the comics business over at Newsarama--including several tips for artists. With a little modification, his five tips can be applied to new writers too.

Monday, May 10, 2010

New story

Well, after culling through a number of ideas, I'm working on a new story. Excited. Aiming for something more in the super hero genre this time out.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Artist Is Onboard

Success! The artist I selected to work with on my first comic story likes my script and is going to collaborate with me. After he wraps a story at the end of the month, he will begin mine. In the coming weeks, I'll post some links to his art while I await the beginnings of "The Customer Is Always Right." Don't let the title fool ya--there will be blood!